While travelling, I saw this attack ad of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) by the German Socialist Party (SPD) :

The ad suggests that "Financial Sharks" want to vote for the FDP in the upcoming European Parliament elections. The pictured financial shark seems very happy and friendly. I therefore encourage all European citizens registered in Germany to vote for the FDP on June 6.

In 788 words, Paul Krugman sums up the global policy trap surrounding food. It's not funny or youtube, but it is insightful. He goes from the food crisis to emerging economies to oil prices to bad weather to biofuel to political mis-management.

For me at least, this 40 minute video is a pretty remarkable thing. Barack Obama speaking to a church charity about the role of faith in progressive society. He speaks as a Christian, but his words are thoughtful, attentive, tolerant, complicated. Even as an atheist I am persuaded and almost moved.

Like Herbert, many scientists and engineers also report heightened states of creativity while using LSD.

"We have been deeply touched by our experiences with psychedelics and it is hard that there is not a single legal study with LSD given to humans anywhere in the world," said Doblin. "We need to bring what is underground and illegal back into a legal context."

The online community around Lux is a pretty diverse group. One member has been living in Nairobi, Kenya for the past 2 years. He recently made a detailed post in the forums describing the situation there. It's a fascinating read, here's a snippet:

Just like the world's largest slum (in terms of population per square meter [yes, that is correct. Over one million people in two square kilometers]), Kibari, "doesn't exist" according to the government. It's just a big open air market. Because Kenya doesn't have any slums, you know. Not even Mathare (another "not a slum") where the murder rate per day is comparable to Oakland CA's per /week/...in a space just over a square kilometer.